Anna Sahlene
|death_date = |origin = Söderhamn, Sweden |instrument = |genre = Pop |occupation = Singer, Actress |years_active = 1999–present |label = |associated_acts = |website = |current_members = |past_members = }} Anna Cecilia Sahlin (born 11 May 1976), known professionally as Anna Sahlene and formerly by the one-word stage name Sahlene, is a Swedish performer best known as a singer: she placed third at the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 with "Runaway", the Estonian Eurovision entrant for 2002. Early life/career Born in the Swedish town of Söderhamn on 11 May 1976, Sahlene was the oldest of seven children having three younger brothers and three younger sisters. Both her parents had strong musical inclinations which were passed on to their children, with Sahlene herself singing from an early age in addition to learning cello, guitar, oboe and piano. However her performing career began as an actress: at age nine she had a lead role in [The Children of Noisy Village (1986), based on a story by Astrid Lindgren, and subsequently reprised her role - that of Anna - in the sequel More About the Children of Noisy Village (1987) appearing in both films billed as Anna Sahlin. Sahlene did not pursue a performing career subsequent to these two films - although she appeared on television in 1989 when the two Noisy Village films were run as a seven part series - until the age of eighteen when she moved to Stockholm with aspirations to be a singer. She was for several years a member of One Voice a gospel choir directed by Gabriel Forss whose members also performed as background vocalists on recordings by such artists as Eric Gadd, Carola and Robyn: Sahlene was also among the members of One Voice who formed the chorale for the Charlotte Nilsson performance of "Take Me to Your Heaven" at Eurovision Song Contest 1999 where, representing Sweden, the number won. At the subsequent Eurovision Song Contest 2000, held in Stockholm, Sahlene was again onstage as one of the members of One Voice who formed the chorale for the Claudette Pace performance of the Maltese entrant "Desire". Sahlene's own recording career began in 1997 when she fronted the band Rhythm Avenue on their album Twelve Steps Down the Avenue. Recent career In 2010 Sahlene was one of several artists featured "Ta Min Hand" a charity single in support of SOS Children's Villages; Sahlene was also among the personnel of "Ta Min Hand" who performed at an accompanying fundraising concert held at Kungsträdgården on 20 November 2010 - the day of the single's release. From the fall of 2010 Anna Sahlene and LaGaylia Frazier extensively toured Sweden with an R&B-oriented live show entitled the Blues Mothers. 2012 saw the first release of any new recordings by Sahlene in four years, with the single "Jamie" released 27 February and the follow-up "Horns of Mississippi" released 6 July 2012: these two singles are included on the eleven track album Roses released 26 September 2012. It has been announced that as of 27 December 2012 Sahlene will perform in the role of Maria Magdalena in the Göta Lejon Theatre production of Jesus Christ Superstar. In 2013 Sahlene voiced the character of Queen Tara in the Swedish-language dubbed version of the animated film Epic released by 20th Century Fox May 2013. Category:NVSC 11 artists Category:Artists